Opening IDS files

Have a problem opening a .IDS file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what IDS files are. Additionally we recommend software suitable for opening or converting such files.

What is the .IDS file type?

The .ids extension primarily belongs to and is associated with the IDA Imported Names (IDS) file type introduced and used in connection with IDA. IDA (standing for 'Interactive DisAssembler') is a highly sophisticated and versatile piece of commercial disassembling software for Windows/Linux/Mac OS by Hex-Rays. IDA is used for restoring program logic through the analysis of compiled binaries, usually for reverse-engineering purposes.

To facilitate its machine code analysis, IDA makes a list with names of all exported functions contained in shared libraries referenced in a binary. Lists of such imported function names (along with additional data such as numerical designation, stack usage information etc.) are saved as .ids files. An .ids file is a compressed equivalent of an uncompressed .idt function list.

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With the use of architecture- and platform-specific utilities (idsutils in IDA), an IDS function name list can be made against any shared-library binary.

In a different context, the .ids extension is used to distinguish files in the open Image Cytometric Data (IDS) file format used in connection with the Nikon C1 confocal microscope.

An Nikon C1 .ids image file is actually a stack of images accompanied with an .ics header file with the same name that contains all image-related information (C1 configuration, acquisition properties etc.). IDS images must be used in pair with their ICS counterparts. IDS/ICS images are well handled with ImageJ, an open-source graphics manipulation software widely used in scientific circles.

In computer gaming, the .ids extension is used to label plaintext identifier files used to define symbolic vs. numerical game item ID's for the Infinity Engine, a popular game engine used in a number of computer games (e.g., Baldur's Gate 1/2, Icewind Dale etc.). Contents of IDS files affect game behavior, such files are often edited and used for 'modding' purposes.